What Rye Reads

Rye is known as a writer’s town – it’s the birthplace, living place and death place of all manners of classic authors. Some have slightly dubious links to the town while others are at Blue Plaque Level.

But what do Ryers read? Though we’d love to say we’ve read Henry James’ The Golden Bowl (yep, he lived in Rye for many years and you can visit his house) the answer is, erm, we haven’t got round to it yet. Next year, we promise.

We asked the Martello Bookshop, down the road from The George, to reveal their top-selling titles of the moment. They’re independent booksellers and so free of those 3-for-2 tables that are controlled by the marketers with the budgets to make a book a hit – meaning there’s a little more diversity in the books on offer.

So, what are we all reading in Rye? Local author John Ryan’s Pugwash series are perennial best-sellers for children and the young at heat. Here are a few other hot titles:

‘When Will There Be Good News?’ by Kate Atkinson
the latest literary detective book in a series featuring Jackson Brodie which is recommended by Martello Bookshop staff

‘The Old Country’ by Jack Hargreaves
a best selling nostalgia trip which appeals particularly to those who remember Jack Hargreaves’s television programmes

‘Doctor Syn’ by Russell Thorndike
a story of smuggling on Romney Marsh featuring the sinister Dr Syn, a vicar with a shady past as a pirate and leader of a smuggling gang. Let us know if you bump into him near Rye. He’s probably still wanted.

‘New Moon’ by Stephenie Meyer
sequel to the phenomenal vampire love story ‘Twilight’, a favourite with teenagers (though adults have been known to secretly love the book…) which has been made into a blockbuster film.

‘The Road Home’ by Rose Tremain
a new offering on the subject of economic migration from the author of Restoration.

New Moon, the new vampiric novel from Stephanie Meyer

Want to tell us about books you’re loving at the moment? Drop us a line at hello@thebloginrye.com and we’ll feature them.